Yayoi Kusama, “Pumpkin,” 2014 (Photo: Robert Berg)
Nestled in Northern California's wine country, the Donum Estate is one of Sonoma Valley's most beautiful vineyards. In addition to its sprawling orchards and endless rows of grapevines, the 200-acre site boasts a world-class collection of contemporary sculpture that intertwines “art, nature, and the human hand.”
Known as the Sculpture Park, this open-air museum features monumental works by today's top artists. As you wander around the estate, you'll encounter an eclectic array of pieces, from a polished steel heart by British sculptor Richard Hudson to Keith Haring‘s rust-colored King and Queen. One of Yayoi Kusama‘s popular Pumpkins, a Chinese Zodiac-inspired series by Ai Wei Wei, and a figurative work by Tracy Emin also exist “in harmony with the surrounding landscape.”
This impressive collection was acquired by Allan and Mei Warburg, the owners of Donum. By pairing their love of winemaking with their passion for art, the couple has come up with a creative way to celebrate Donum's diverse roots. “The sculpture collection is very personal, representing what my wife and I believe fits the landscape and feeling of Donum,” Allan Warburg says. “We try to make the collection as global as possible. I am a European who has lived over half my life in Asia, I am married to a Chinese woman, and now I also produce wine in California. I love and and embrace diversity and different cultures and hope the collection will express this.”
Of course, he also enjoys the simple pleasures that a sculpture-filled winery brings. “If you take art, put it into a beautiful landscape and at the same time enjoy it with a glass of great wine, the experience is much larger than if the three are enjoyed separately. The whole is more than the sum of its parts.”
Currently, a walk around the Sculpture Park is included in a pre-booked wine tasting. However, in the future, Donum will offer weekly tours of the amazing art. You can stay in the loop by visiting the Donum Estate website.
Explore the amazing collection of contemporary sculpture at the Donum Estate, a beautiful winery in Sonoma, California.
Richard Hudson, “Love Me,” 2016 (Photo: Gregory Gorman)
Richard Hudson, “Love Me,” 2016 (Photo: Robert Berg)
Keith Haring, “King and Queen,” 1987 (Photo: Anthony Laurino)
Ai Weiwei, “Circle of Animals Zodiac Heads,” 2011 (Photo: Anthony Laurino)
Ai Weiwei, “Circle of Animals Zodiac Heads,” 2011 (Photo: Anthony Laurino)
Mark Manders, “Composition with Long Verticals,” 2016 (Photo: Robert Berg)
Mark Manders, “Composition with Long Verticals,” 2016 (Photo: Robert Berg)
Pascale Marthine Tayou, “Mikado Tree,” 2010 (Photo: Robert Berg)
Pascale Marthine Tayou, “Mikado Tree,” 2010 (Photo: Robert Berg)
Zhan Wang, “Artificial Rock No. 126,” 2007-13 (Photo: Robert Berg)
Jeppe Hein, “One Two Three,” 2017 (Photo: Gregory Gorman)
Jaume Plensa, “Sanna,” 2015 (Photo: Robert Berg)
Jaume Plensa, “Sanna,” 2015 (Photo: Anthony Laurino)
Anselm Kiefer, “Mohn und Gedachtnis,” 2017 (Photo: Robert Berg)
Gao Weigang, “Maze,” 2017 (Photo: Robert Berg)
Yue Minjun, “Contemporary Terracotta Warriors,” 2005 (Photo: Robert Berg)
Tracey Emin, “All I Want is You,” 2016 (Photo: Robert Berg)
Fernando Botero, “Hombre Caminante,” 1999 (Photo: Robert Berg)
Fredrik Wretman, “Half Foot,” 2017 (Photo: Gregory Gorman)
Ghada Amer, “The Words I Love the Most,” 2012 (Photo: Robert Berg)
Li Hui, “Captured Rhino,” 2012 (Photo: Robert Berg)
Lynda Benglis, “Pink Ladies,” 2014 (Photo: Robert Berg)
Lynda Benglis, “Pink Ladies,” 2014 (Photo: Greg Gorman)
Louise Bourgeois, “Crouching Spider,” 2003 (Photo: Robert Berg)
